Machine for imitating peculiarities of natural woods.



No. 670,846. Patented Mar. 26, IBM. W. N. CORNELL.

MACHINE FOR IMITATING PECULIABITIES OF NATURAL WOODS. (Application filedFeb. 3, 1900. Renewed Sept. 22, 1900.) 0 I 3 Shaets-'$heat I.

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No. 670,846. Patented Mar. 26, I901. w. N. CORNELL.

MACHINE FOB IMITATING PECULIABITIES OF NATURAL WOODS. (Application filedFeb. 3, 1900. Benewad Sept. 22, 1900.)

(No Modal.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Worn a7 N0. 670,346. Patented Mar. 26, [90LW. N. CORNELL. MACHINE FOB IIIIITA'NNG PEGULIABITIES OF NATURAL WOODS.-

(Application filed. Feb. 3, 1900. Renewed Sept. 22, 1900.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Shaet 3.

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Miran STATES ATENT FFlCE.

WILLIAM N. CORNELL, OF WATERTOWN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO LYN DON H.STEVENS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MACHINE FOR IMITATING PECULIARITIES OF NATURAL WOODS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 670,846, dated March26, 1901.

Application filed February 3, 1900. Renewed September 22, 1900. SerialNo. 30,853. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM N. CORNELL, acitizen of the United States,residing at Watertown, in the county of Jefferson and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines forImitating the Peculiarities of Natural Woods; and I do hereby declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in machines for making imitationsof various varieties and kinds of woods.

The object of my invention is to produce means whereby a distribution ofirregular particles or portions of pulp may be made on the face of themaking-cylinder of the ordinary type of paper-making machines, so as toproduce a perfect imitation of the knots and burls of natural woods. Ihave heretofore experienced great difliculty in distributing theseparticles of pulp across the face of the making-cylinder and at the sametime to have the particles of pulp of uniform thickness and yetdistributed irregularly, so as to give the paper the appearance ofnatural wood. I have also had great difficulty in having the pulp thickenough in contact with the working face of the cylinder to accomplishthis end. By my invention I place the pulp (which for the purposes ofthis invention is presumed to be preliminarily formed in a rather thickstate) in independent particles on the surface of the cylinder, therebyseparating them sufficiently to form the irregular appearance of naturalwood. This irregular application of the particles of pulp is madethrough the agency of a blast of air which may be varied in intensity,duration, and location to differentiate the distribution and imitatewoods of difierent physical characteristics.

Generally theidea of the invention may be accomplished by the followingmeans: In a vat of a cylinder-machine, on the operative side thereofadjacent to the cylinder, is placed a roll covered with fine wire-cloth.A suitable apron or board for the pulp in a thin liquid state to flowbetween it and the cylinder is then arranged to allow the water to drainaway through the interstices of the wire -cloth. Above this roll andparallel thereto and adjacent to the point of contact between it and thecylinder is placed a normally stationary pipe with suitable openings inthe periphery thereof. The openings in the pipe are directed either in adownward direction or upward, as may be desired, owing to the loca-'tion of the pipe and the variety of wood imitated. To accomplish thisend, the pipe may be arranged to twist slightly in its bearings.Connected to this pipe by a flexible tube is a source of air-supply-as,for instance,a fan or blower.

To vary the location of the blasts of air, the following device isemployed: Fitted closely to the stationary pipe is an outer pipe withregistering openings. This outer pipe, by means of a cam or worm-gear,is caused to vibrate or slide back and forth over the inner pipe anyrequired distance and at any rate of speed, thereby changing the size ofthe openings of the inner pipe. If .the two pipes be clamped together,they will simultaneously vibrate, distributing the pulp in wavy lines onthe cylinder.

A suitable cut-0d valve may be arranged to vary the blasts of airpassing through the inner pipe. If desired, the valve may be arranged tobe automatically opened and closed at short intervals, the periods ofwhich may be varied. Suitable provision is made to keep the openings ofthe inner and outer pipes in alinement. Suitable provision is also madeto lock the two pipes together in making paper imitating wood withcontinuous streaks.

In order to better understand the nature of the invention, attention iscalled to the 2.0- 0 companying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification, and in which- Figure 1 is a side view of an ordinarystyle of wood-pulp machine with my improvement attached thereto. Fig. 2is an enlarged view 5 of one of the vats. Fig. 3 is an end view of thevat, cylinder, and distributing-tube and a sectional view of theauxiliary cylinder. Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional side View of thedistributing-tube and agitating device.

Fig. 5 is a top view of the same, and Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectionalview of the air-reducing valve. 7

In all the several views like parts are designated by the same lettersof reference.

As shown in Fig. 1-, the plant may consist of a series of vats A A A,each containing a making-cylinder B, with a couchroll 0 mounted inswinging bearings and engaging with the upper faces thereof. lowerpress-rolls D D and the felt rolls D and felt D are arranged, asheretofore, upon almost every variety of pulp-machines known to thetrade.

The stuff-vat E, which contains the pulp in a very thin paste, isarranged as shown. A pump F forces the pulp from the stuff-vat through apipe F into an elevated reservoir F from which it passes through aninclined pipe G to a point adjacent to the centermost of themaking-vats. As shown in the illustrations, the center vat is the onlyone having my improvement thereon; but this is not essential, as theattachment to be described may be applied to any or all of the vats.

Mounted within bearings within the sides of the central vat A and soarranged as to be parallel to the shaft of the making-cylinder is thefeed-roll H. This roll is covered with fine wire-cloth or itsequivalent. A suitable apron or board I is arranged above the roll andadjacent to the outlet of the pipe G for the pulp in a thin liquid stateto flow between it and the cylinder. The water will pass away throughthe interstices of the wirecloth and transform the pulp into a thickmass at the point of contact of the rolls B and H.

Above the roll and cylinder and parallel thereto, but separated a shortdistance from the cylinder, is arranged a normally stationary pipe J,having openings K K pointing toward the working face of the cylinder.The pipe is mounted in clamp-bearings J on the edge of the vat, so thatit may be twisted to vary the angle of the openings. Surrounding thispipe J is a second pipe L, having registering openings M therein. Inorder to give the tube L an oscillatory, undulatory, and vibratorymotion, a pitman N is provided,which connects with a groove L in thepipe L to a crank O, mounted upon a shaft 0. The latter is rotated bymeans of a pulley P, driven by a belt from any suitable source of poweras, for instance, the making-cylinder shaft.

Two holes or openings may be made in the pipes J and L, which willregister when the holes K and M are registered. These holes are letteredK. When registered, a suitable pin may be inserted, which will lock thetwo pipes together. The clamp-bearingsJ J being loosened, the two pipeswill vibrate simultaneously.

Q is a fan or blower connected to the inner stationary pipe J by meansof the flexible tube Q, the latter being used to allow the inner pipe,when desired, to be vibrated.

The upper and- R is a cut-01f valve to vary the blasts of air passingthrough the inner pipe. The valve consists of the fixed inner member S,having an opening S therein, and an outer concentric movable member T,having a series of registering openings T therein. By rotating themovable member T the opening S will be successively opened and closed,as will be evident. A casing U surrounds the movable member and connectswith the flexible pipe Q. To rotate the movable member, a shaftV,mounted in suitable bearings V,is provided and carries a cone-pulleyW, which is rotated at any desired rate of speed by means of a belt X,which connects with a constantlymoving source of power.

Suitable provision is made to keep the openings of the inner and outerpipes J and L in alinement. Such provision may consist of a feather Y,secured to the inner pipe, working within a keyway Y, connected with theouter pipe.

The operation of the entire device is as follows: The pulp passesthrough the pipe G and flows down the apron over the top of thewire-gauze roll Hinto the nip or space between the top of the wire-rolland a corresponding height on the face of the cylinder B. From the nipparticles of pulp are blown by the air escaping under pressure throughthe perforations K in the pipe J. As shown in Fig. 2, the blast of airmay be directed downward upon the surface of the pulp andportionsremoved therefrom and splashed or spattered upon the web ofpaper being carried up by the making-cylinder B.

The opening of the perforated pipes may turn downward below the surfaceof the pulp or above, according to the amount of pulp desired to bethrown upon the cylinder-face or the size of the particles to be blownagainst the cylinder-face.

By making the feed-roll of wire-cloth it allows the water to pass away,thus leaving the pulp thicker than it could flow into this nip and inproper condition to be blown against the cylinder. The pulp has to bevery thick at this point to accomplish this object.

The construction of the air-valve as described is a simple appliance tobreak the current of air and can be made in any desirable way to makeshort quick puffs of air. The duration of the blasts of air regulate thesize of the particles of pulp lifted onto the cylinder-face incombination with the size of the opening of the vibrating pipe. If thisvalve is set with a continuous blast or current of air through the pipe,it would blow or lift a streak or strip of pulp on the cylinder-face.When this is desirable, the valve is locked open by removing the belt X,so as to give one opening and a continuous blast, the two pipes J and Lbeing locked together and therefore vibrating simultaneously. The effectof crotched mahogany is produced. By making the blast of air of thedesirable duration quartered oak is produced. Any other variety of woodmay be imitated by varying the position and operation of the pipes J andL and the valve R.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of myinvention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by LettersPatent, is-

1. Means for imitating the peculiarities of natural woods comprising incombination,the cylinder, means for generating a blast of air, aperforated air-pipe placed upon the work ing side of the cylinder soarranged as to place particles of pulp on the said cylinder irregularly,substantially as described.

2. Means for imitating the peculiarities of natural woods, comprising incombination, a making-cylinder, a feedroll placed on the making side ofthe cylinder and in engagement therewith, means for feeding the pulp tothe point of engagement of the cylinder and feed-roll, means forgenerating a blast of air, a perforated air-pipe above the feed-roll soarranged as to place separate particles of pulp on the said cylinderirregularly,substantially as described.

3. Means for imitating the peculiarities of natural woods comprising incombination, a cylinder, means for generating a blast of air, means forvarying the blast of air, a perforated air-pipe placed on the makingside of the cylinder so arranged as to place separate particles of pulpon the said cylinder irregularly, substantially as described.

4. Means for imitating the peculiarities of natural woods, comprising incombination, a cylinder, means for generating a blast of air, aperforated air-pipe placed on the making side of the cylinder, means forvarying the location of the blast of air on the cylinder so as to placeparticles of pulp on the said cylinder irregularly, substantially asdescribed.

5. Means for imitating the peculiarities of natural woods comprising incombination, a cylinder, means for generating a blast of air, means forvarying the duration of the blast of air, a perforated air-pipe placedon the making side of the cylinder, means for varying the location ofthe blast of air upon the cylinder so as to place particles of pulp onthe said cylinder irregularly, substantially as described.

6. Means for imitating the peculiarities of natural woods, comprising incombination, a making-cylinder, a feed-roll placed on the making side ofthe cylinder and in engagement therewith, means for feeding the pulp tothe point of engagement of the cylinder and feed-roll, means forgenerating a blast of air, a perforated vibratory air-pipe above thefeed-rol1 so arranged as to place separate particles of pulp on the saidcylinder irregularly, substantially as described.

7. Means for imitating the peculiarities of natural woods, comprising incombination, a making-cylinder, a feed-roll placed on the making side ofthe cylinder and in engagement therewith, means for feeding the pulp tothe point of engagement of the cylinder and feed-roll, means forgenerating a blast of air, a perforated vibratory airpipe above thefeed-roll, the said pipe having a concentric internal pipe withregistering perforations, so arranged as to place separate particles ofpulp on the said cylinder irregularly, substantially as described.

8. Means for imitating the peculiarities of natural woods, comprising incombination, the fan or blower Q, a perforated air-pipe J placed on themaking side of the cylinder, a concentric sleeve or pipe L, the pitman Nand crank O, and means for turning the latter and means for operatingthe fan or blower to generate a blast of air in the pipes so as to placeseparate particles of pulp on the said cylinder irregularly,substantially as described.

This specification signed and witnessed this 21st day of December, 1899.

WILLIAM N. CORNELL.

Witnesses A. ASTRELLO, AGNES ERIOKSON.

